This invention relates to fishing apparatus of the kind especially adapted to provide a compact, portable support for all equipment necessary to enable a person to participate in fishing.
Fishermen conventionally use live bait, such as minnows, or dead bait, such as chum, or both, while fishing. They also conventionally have separate containers for live bait and dead bait, for various kinds of fishing lures and lines, and retainers for their catch. The necessity of having to transport multiple pieces of equipment in traveling to and from a fishing site is awkward.
If the fishing is done from a boat, the presence of multiple pieces of equipment makes it difficult in many instances to move about the boat when it becomes necessary to do so. It also makes it difficult to keep the multiple pieces handy for use when needed.
A principal objective of the invention is to overcome the difficulties referred to above.
Fishing apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a container having a closed bottom and an upstanding side wall which, together, form a chamber capable of containing a sufficient quantity of water to enable the catch and live bait, such as minnows, to be maintained in live condition therein. The container has a cover which may be placed on and removed from the upper end of the container so as to minimize spillage of the water in the container and provide support for a fishing rod and accessories.
An aeration system is provided to enable air to be discharged into the water in the container, thereby permitting the delivery of oxygen for life support of the minnows and the catch. A pivoted bail is secured to the side wall of the container to facilitate carrying of the latter. The container side wall preferably has an opening through which caught fish may be passed into the chamber where they may remain alive until such time as the fishing activity is concluded.
The cover has an opening through which a live bait retainer may pass and the retainer preferably is in communication with the aeration system so as to enable air to be supplied to the live bait within the retainer.
The retainer also provides a convenient storage place for a quantity of dead bait which may be used independently of or in conjunction with the live bait.
The container includes on its exterior means for removably supporting a plurality of fishing rods when the latter are not in use. The container also preferably includes supports for a fishing rod when the latter is in use and which enables the rod to be supported atop the container and beneath the bail, thereby providing not only a support for the rod, but also restraint to prevent separation of the rod from the container when a fish takes the bait.